Chapter 3 Of The Outsiders

Red and Marcia realize that they don't accept a ride dwelling house from the drive-in. Two-Flake talks them into accepting a ride from him, and the iii boys and two girls walk to Two-Chip'south business firm to get his car. On the way, Red tells Ponyboy about what it'due south similar to exist a Soc, including the search for fulfillment from sources beyond just material possessions, and the pressure to be cool and unemotional. The two of them concord that in contrast to the aristocratic Socs, who try to hide their emotions, the greasers tend to feel their emotions too strongly. As they talk, the two of them also discover a shared honey of reading and watching sunsets. Ponyboy realizes that, despite their different classes and friends, the two of them see the aforementioned sunset.

Cherry already helped Ponyboy see that Socs are individuals who have similar concerns to greasers. Now Ponyboy and Cherry-red find that they too have a number of common interests. The sunset here symbolizes the connections betwixt Ponyboy and Cherry, and the connections between all people, regardless of their dissimilar situations and grouping affiliations. Ponyboy's love of sunsets besides displays his appreciation for life's beauty, something that many of the gang members, on both sides, seem to have lost.

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Merely then, Marcia notices a blue Mustang coming downwardly the street, and everyone becomes nervous, especially Johnny. The motorcar passes slowly and keeps going.

The bluish Mustang represents the Socs' wealth and power: the greasers must always walk, while the Socs drive fancy cars.

Cherry then asks Ponyboy about Darry. Ponyboy responds that Darry doesn't similar him. 2-Bit and Johnny are surprised. They had thought all was well among the Curtis brothers. Ponyboy gets upset and comments on Johnny's ain dysfunctional family, but he speedily apologizes after Two-Fleck smacks him in the head.

Ponyboy'southward touchiness regarding Darry reflects the simmering conflict betwixt the ii of them, but Johnny and Two-Scrap's surprise indicates that Ponyboy may have misunderstood Darry—he may non have empathy for Darry's signal of view.

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The Mustang approaches again and this fourth dimension stops abreast the grouping. The boys in the car are Socs. One of them is Cherry's boyfriend, Bob, who pleads with the girls to forgive them for drinking. Johnny seems spooked, and Ponyboy realizes that Bob was the ane who attacked Johnny. Insults fly between the Socs and greasers, and the tension builds: Two-Bit hands Ponyboy a cleaved canteen and pulls out a switchblade. A fight seems inevitable until Cherry intervenes, agreeing to get out with Bob. Before she and Marcia get in the automobile, though, Ponyboy tells Cherry that he would never have actually used the cleaved canteen. She responds that if she sees Dally over again she just might fall in love with him.

Johnny's fear of Bob highlights the toll the violence between the gangs has already taken and foreshadows the confrontation between Bob, Ponyboy, and Johnny in the next chapter. Cherry's intervention in the brewing fight reflects her part equally someone who tin can meet the good in the individuals in both groups. Ponyboy'southward insistence that he would not utilise the bottle shows that he is not every bit hardened equally some of the other greasers.

Later on the Mustang drives off, Two-Bit leaves Johnny and Ponyboy in the vacant lot where the greasers hang out. As they smoke and spotter the stars, Pony voices his anger over the Socs' advantages in life and their mistreatment of the greasers. Johnny responds that he can't take much more of the conflict and contemplates committing suicide, then takes it back and instead wishes for a place where he could exist free of the abiding fighting. Ponyboy imagines a place in the countryside where his family could be happy and intact once more. He imagines Johnny living with them and Dally benefiting from the kind attention of Ponyboy'southward female parent. Ponyboy drifts off to sleep. Later Johnny eventually shakes Ponyboy awake, Ponyboy hurries home.

Stargazing is a form of escape for Johnny and Ponyboy—the two of them are withal young enough to try to daydream their way out of the gang conflict. Johnny's annotate about suicide underscores both the seriousness of the trouble and Johnny's ain particular vulnerability. Ponyboy'south vision of the country highlights his want to render to a simpler land and to regain the babyhood elation that is slipping away from him in the wake of his parents' death and his growing involvement in the conflict with the Socs.

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When Ponyboy gets habitation, Darry is furious at him for losing rail of time and arriving so late. Sodapop tries to intervene, merely Darry silences Soda and, losing control, slaps Ponyboy. Darry is immediately remorseful and tries to apologize, but Ponyboy runs out of the house before his brother tin can say anything

Darry is aroused out of business organization that Ponyboy'southward thoughtless beliefs might go him hurt. Merely Ponyboy can't see things from Darry's side. Likewise, Darry's overwhelming rages shows that he can't understand Pony's point of view

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Ponyboy returns to the greaser lot, where he finds Johnny, tells him what happened, and adds that he has decided to run abroad. Johnny agrees to bring together him, describing the corruption and neglect he faces at abode. Johnny's domicile life makes Ponyboy realize that his own situation isn't actually and then bad, though, and the boys decide to take a walk to the park and back before deciding whether to run away.

Ponyboy gets a ameliorate sense of his own family life through his new agreement of Johnny's much worse state of affairs. The boys go to the park, a place for children, to decide whether to confront or run away from their lives. But what they find in the park will modify their lives and forcefulness them to grow upwards.